A bookstore/mini-mall preps to open in Illinois; an indie chain ups its electronic game; B&N adds to its campus portfolio; and more.
New Website for Half Price Books: The country’s largest indie chain, with 122 stores in 17 states, recently completed a major website makeover https://www.hpb.com/home to make it more user friendly with a single shopping cart. Each of its stores has a page on the new website. Within the next six months, customers will be able to search the inventory of individual stores.
Bookstore Boutique Opens Saturday in Granite City, Ill.: Brenda Whitaker is opening Novel Idea Bookstore & More on August 13 in the same space that was once BSR Books. The store, which she describes as a “mini-mall” is divided into seven sections, including a kids’ reading room. In addition to selling books, Whitaker, who also owns the Garden Gate Tearoom plans to sell vinyl, candy, clothing, and accessories.
Walls of Books in Athens Moves to Watkinsville: Last month Greg and Stephanie Phillips moved their bookstore, the 11th in the used and new franchise, Athens, Ga., to nearby Watkinsville.
B&N College Adds Five More Schools: With this addition of partnerships with the University of California, Irvine, Coastal Carolina University, Robeson Community College, Collin College, and Rhode Island College, Barnes & Noble College will have 18 new contracts, representing 34 new campus and virtual stores, for Fiscal 2017.
Uncertain Future for Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative: The 27-year-old bookstore and gathering place for activists in Madison, Wisc., could close as early as the end of this month. It launched a clearance sale to raise money to pay off rent. Despite being volunteer run it is also struggling to pay publishers.
The Book Nook Turns One: Ed and Linda Flores opened the 150-sq. ft. Christian bookstore in Old Town Clovis, Calif., to provide Reformational Protestant titles. The Floreses, who are semi-retired, told the Fresno Bee that they aren’t worried about making a profit. Ed Flores said that he sees the bookstore as “a ministry.”
